Loki, Brother
by Noriah
Summary: There simply aren't enough good stories about Loki, God of Lies. This story isn't a mushy romance - it isn't even a romance at all. This is a story about Loki, Thor, their little sister Frea, and the love they share for each other (though they may not show it in an ordinary way). This is a story of family, adventure, and plain old mischief. Come along for the ride.


Loki, Brother

Confessions in the Night:

From his seat in a comfortable armchair up against a roaring fire place in the now dark and empty library, Loki squeezed his eyes shut and gasped in pain; his book falling forgotten onto his lap. A burning pain seared his mind. Images and emotions flashed uncontrollably before him. It was all so unexpected, so sudden, that it made him gasp in shock. Quickly, he forced the invader from his mind. And all was quiet.

Shaking his head as if to rid himself of the unsettling vision he had just experienced, he blinked hard trying to focus. His brilliant mind turning at an alarming pace. It wasn't a vision, visions came only to the worthy and besides it had been too biased, too personal, to be a vision. No, this was from someone's mind. But who would broadcast something like this to him…..unless it was involuntary. In which case... he jumped up suddenly and hurried down the hall towards the royal chambers. He knew that mind, the very hint and feel of those thoughts and emotions was familiar to him. He had a guess as to what had happened, and he only hoped he had been the one to figure it out first.

…..

She woke up with a gasp, covered in sweat. Her body so weak, as if every ounce of energy had been drained. A long, slender hand came from nowhere and brushed the damp hair from her pale face. She jerked and looked up, startled. The scant moonlight, that pierced the shadow around the curtained window, touched on his features, allowing only a glimpse of high cheek bones and a sharp jaw line before fading back into darkness.

"You revealed your dream to me," he explained in a quiet voice as he continued to smooth her hair. _"_ _More like forced it upon me, are you really so desperate?"_ He thought to himself. Her brow creased, puzzled—she didn't remember deciding to open her mind to Loki. Her eyes widened as she realized that he now knew what she had been trying to keep from him, from everyone; and what a horrible way for him to find out. Frea took a deep breath and tried to stop shaking. With a quavering sigh she flopped back on her bed. How was she supposed to deal with this?

Loki sat on the edge of her bed and studied her in that quiet way of his, as if he was judging her in his mind. "Come, you are soaking," he said quietly as he pulled her to a sitting position. He stood, making his way over to her drawers, and, with a practiced knowledge of her wardrobe and its contents, gathered dry nightclothes for her. Returning, he dropped the clothes lightly onto the bed. All this time she had been sitting still with her gaze locked on the floor. He stood over her and, feeling his gaze upon her, she lifted her head to look at him.

In a soft voice he asked her, "Can you manage by yourself?" She sighed softly and gave a shaky nod. He gave an acquiescing nod and gestured in the direction of her nightclothes. Gingerly, she stood and made the few steps toward the edge of the bed where he had placed her clothes. A hand came into her vision holding a towel. She took it and looked tentatively up at Loki like a child who searches for reassurance. He raised his eyebrows. She looked back down and slowly began to peal her way out of the wet clothing that clung to her. Loki averted his eyes giving the semblance of privacy. Not one to waste time, he set about removing the damp sheets and remaking the bed.

It was a long and arduous task for her weakened body to maneuver its way out of the wet clothes and into the dry ones. And when at last she was finished she sat down, her body pale with utter exhaustion. Slowly she climbed into the freshly changed bed and crumpled into a quivering heap with the blankets pulled up around her. Loki sat along the edge of her bed with his feet lying crossed on the mattress and his shoulders reclining against the wall. Then he relaxed and let his eyes wander about the room.

"So," he asked, breaking the silence. "Are you going to tell me what actually happened when you were captured by the Curmenti?" She thought back and shuddered. No way did she want to relive that yet again. "Why should I tell you?" she asked. "You've already seen everything."

"No, not everything." he replied with a hard glint in his eyes.

"I saw you beaten, whipped," he stood up lacking none of his usual grace and took a few seemingly casual steps away from her. Outside he was all composure, but his agitation pored off him in waves. He kept his back to her and stared off into the darkness of the room. "I would know why," he said. "Why is my sister an occasioner of a den of thieves? Why do they seem acquainted with her and know her by name? Why," here he turned and looked at her, his voice disarmingly gentle but his eyes burned into her soul like ice. "Did it seem as though she was nay, not associating with, but working for a villain of notoriously low morals, a man who frequents the very dregs of this city and is prone to maleficence and innate vulgarity?"

"I have nothing against the odd job for a bunch of marauders," he continued, "provided the work is interesting, as it has proven to be for me on many an occasion. But this was not just work, was it?" Here he came and sat down close to her on the bed. "I heard threats. I heard of a debt you have to pay. You didn't seem like a captured princess in that dream. So, are you going to tell me what actually happened when you were 'captured' by the Curmenti?" He said it in a light manner that was canceled by the dark displeasure that brooded with in him and revealed itself as a silver hard glint in his eye. "Because I tell you, I am the most understanding, accepting audience you will have." He scoffed, "Thor will balk when first he hears the word marauder." She paled, thinking of her brothers probable reaction. Seeing her distress Loki's gaze softened and he looked down at her with brotherly kindness in his eyes. And though she knew he was not pleased with her, she could tell he was willing to listen.


End file.
